New England Free Jacks Win Historic Major League Rugby Three-Peat
U.S. sports have a new dynasty. On Saturday, June 28, in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the New England Free Jacks accomplished what no U.S. sports team has since the Los Angeles Lakers of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, winning three championships in a row.
The Major League Rugby (MLR) side owned in part by former USA rugby players Alex Magleby and Nate Ebner and retired New England Patriot Patrick Chung, bested the Houston Sabercats 28-22 to lift their third-straight MLR championship in what was virtually a home final just 43 miles from their home in Quincy.
MLR Championship Game 2025
The final was a back-and-forth battle of attrition, defined more by attacking resilience and defensive grit than flair. But it was sweet all the same. Speaking to the media after the game, man of the match Brock Webster said 'I'm just really proud of the boys for sticking to our game like we have all season when it's been tough. We're just a really resilient group and we keep fighting back one play at a time. Today was a true testament of that.'
Webster's coach Ryan Martin echoed those sentiments, noting 'Sometimes when games are close, it's easy to close the shop and play conservatively. But we were really aggressive with our kicking. So I was really proud of the boys. Even the very last play of the game we were trying to pass the ball on our tri-line. Who does that in championship football? And that's the way I've coached them all year, to pull the trigger.'
The championship match lit up 15 minutes in thanks to a beautiful opening try from the two-time defending champions. The Free Jacks ran a sweeping play off a lineout that saw the ball go from their scrum half, Cam Nordli-Kelemeti, to their center, Le Roux Malan, before Nordli-Kelemeti regained the ball and shifted it wide to Webster. The fullback dummied to beat several defenders before offloading to speedster Paula Balekana, who scored the first five-pointer.
Webster admitted after the game that he felt he had missed some opportunities to free up Balekana in the first half, but looked to rectify that in the second. He jokingly said, 'when you're playing with LeBron James, just get him the ball.'
New England added a penalty to extend its lead to ten points by the 18th minute. But after a brief hydration break, Houston rebounded, putting pressure on the two-time champions. The Sabercats, eventually scored their first try in the 23rd minute. Although down three points, they missed a pivotal kick to tie the game.
The half ended with the Free Jacks once again putting the Sabercats under pressure, trying to force their way over the tryline through a rolling maul, and twice failing to score.
Speaking after the match, Free Jacks head coach Ryan Martin said, 'It's been a great day for us,' but admitted his side had to be resolute in attack. 'Sometimes when you miss those opportunities it can go the other way and Houston might have got heaps of momentum and felt awesome when they went into half time,' he told the press. 'But we've got guys who have been in championships, 70% of the squad. So they were nice and relaxed.'
The second half started where the first left off; Houston's defensive line proving difficult for New England to overcome. After five minutes of overbearing pressure, the Sabercats line finally cracked and New England scored their second try of the match.
From there, Houston woke up and began putting the pressure back on the Free Jacks. Former LSU wide receiver Drake Davis scored for the Sabercats to cut the gap, before New England number four Piers Von Dadelszen was shown a yellow card for repeated infringements.
Down a man and under pressure, the Free Jacks came together. Not only did they repel Houston's attacks, they played out from the own half, went down the field and unleashed Balekana once again to seal the win.
'It's cool to actually achieve what we had set out to do a long time ago,' said Martin. The Free Jacks had not been shy about their ambitions to three-peat, in fact, Martin said, 'we actually addressed and talked about the three-peat right on the very first day because it would be easy to hide from it and it's something that no one's ever done before. So we had an attitude of doing things that no one's done before.'
New England Free Jacks vs. Houston Sabercats in the Major League Rugby 2025 Championship, Saturday, ... More June 28 at Centreville Bank Stadium in Rhode Island.
The Free Jack Way
The victory was further validation that the Free Jacks' way of operating can lead to success. The club, whose formation was announced in 2018 has unprecedented success for a young professional sports franchise.
Speaking to me the day before the final, co-founder and executive chairman Alex Magleby explained some of that secrets behind that success. 'So we lead all of our categories on the business side,' said Magleby. I'm not saying that braggadociously. I think we decided at the beginning we love rugby, we love everything about it, but if we got to market and hit people over the head with rugby, it's not going to sell. What we're selling is time and an experience, and that's actually the differentiator for us versus a fan saying 'I'm going to stay at home and do something else'.'
Off the field, the Free Jacks lean on Magleby's expertise as an ex-player and a business professional. Alongside his staff, he has been able to create a culture that draws in casual fans and makes them Free Jack faithful. The club has a beer fest at every home game, encourages tailgating, and brings in local and national bands to create a festive atmosphere in Quincy.
Most importantly, the club puts people first. Players stay after the game and sign autographs and take selfies with any fan who wants them; a far-flung experience from what a fan will encounter at a big-four league game, but something that is common in rugby culture.
On the field, the club does its due diligence to only bring in players who will add to the environment. Martin says 'we talk about recruiting for character and training for skill.' The former math and PE teacher understands that tactical acumen and physical skills can be taught, but a player's personality and values are critical to them bonding with their teammates.
Culture is clearly important to Martin, who says that the team actually spend more time doing activities outside of rugby than on the field. Be it yoga, brunch, or pickleball, it's off the field where players develop human connection amongst each other and with fans, that then translates back onto the field in critical moments like Saturday's final.
'We do a lot of background checks before someone even enters our environment,' says Martin. 'A lot of work goes into making sure that they'd be deemed a Free Jack's man.'
Ultimately, that work has paid off, paving the way for the Free Jacks to become the first rugby dynasty in the U.S. When asked if his club was a dynasty and what their ceiling is, Martin was unequivocal: 'Yeah, I definitely think so.' He recalls having a tent for a locker room just a few seasons ago, now they have climbed their Everest three season running.
Those victories are monumental for the club, but rugby's Ted Lasso equivalent (mustache and all) seems more satisfied with how his club, his players, and the community have grown along the way.
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